Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast Message sticks: small items with big cultural power
May 13, 2025
Piers Kelly, a linguist and anthropologist from the University of New England, and Alwyn Doolan, a Gooreng Gooreng and Wakka Wakka man, dive into the fascinating world of message sticks. They discuss these powerful communication tools in Aboriginal culture, their historical relevance, and modern journeys linking traditional voices with political dialogue. They reflect on missed opportunities to recognize their significance and advocate for ethical engagement with Indigenous communities while emphasizing the revival of these cultural artifacts.
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Message sticks as social technology
- Message sticks are carved, polished wood pieces with markings that convey messages across political borders.
- They function as social technology ensuring diplomatic communication and coordination between numerous Indigenous nations.
Message sticks aren't writing
- Message sticks are not writing as they do not represent linguistic structure explicitly.
- They communicate accurate information across linguistic borders, even without verbal explanation in some cases.
Alwyn's cultural message stick experience
- Alwyn Doolan was taught the cultural protocol of message sticks as permission to travel across different tribal lands.
- Message sticks also reflect social structures and knowledge systems within diverse Aboriginal communities.